Distributed image storage architecture

Abstract

System and techniques for storing digital images within a computer system by identifying a first storage facility and a directory within the first storage facility for storing a digital image; generating a first image identifier associated with the first storage facility and the directory; generating a second image identifier comprising a random number; generating a unique hash value by encrypting the first and second image identifiers; and identifying a storage path using the first and second image identifiers and the unique hash value such that related digital images have unrelated storage paths.

1. A method of identifying a storage path for a file within a computer system comprising:
 generating a first path identifier associated with a storage facility for storing the file; 
 generating a second path identifier for determining particular subdirectories of the storage facility, wherein the second identifier comprises a random number; 
 generating a unique file name by encrypting the first and second path identifiers; and 
 identifying a storage path name using the first and second path identifiers and the unique file name wherein related files have unrelated storage paths. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the unique file name by encrypting the first and second path identifiers includes encrypting the first and second path identifiers using a hashing algorithm. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , wherein the hashing algorithm includes at least one of the MD5 algorithm and the DES algorithm. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the unique file name further comprises adding a pixel dimension of a digital image to the file name when the file is a digital image file. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein generating the unique file name further comprises adding a file type to the file name. 
     
     
       6. A method of identifying a storage path of a file from a name of the file, comprising:
 decrypting the name of the file into a decrypted identifier; 
 extracting from the decrypted identifier a first path identifier associated with a storage facility where the file is stored; 
 extracting from the decrypted identifier a second path identifier for determining particular subdirectories of the storage facility, wherein the second path identifier comprises a random number; and 
 identifying the storage path of the file using the first and second path identifiers and the decrypted identifier. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein decrypting the name of the file into a decrypted identifier includes decrypting the name of the file using a hashing algorithm. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7 , wherein the hashing algorithm includes at least one of the MD5 algorithm and the DES algorithm. 
     
     
       9. A method of storing files in a file management system, the method comprising:
 generating a first path identifier associated with a storage facility in a file management system; 
 generating a second path identifier for determining particular subdirectories of the storage facility, wherein the second identifier comprises a random number; 
 generating a unique file name by encrypting the first and second path identifiers; 
 identifying a storage path by using the first and second path identifiers and the unique file name wherein related files have unrelated storage paths; and 
 storing the file in the storage facility at the identified storage path. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9 , wherein generating the unique file name by encrypting the first and second path identifiers includes encrypting the first and second path identifiers using a hashing algorithm. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10 , wherein the hashing algorithm includes at least one of the MD5 algorithm and the DES algorithm. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the storage facility is a network drive. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9 , wherein the storage facility is a local drive.